A epic scenic adventure through the North Island in New Zealand, a ultimate outdoor utopia in nature.
(AUCKLAND - KERIKERI - PAIHIA - OMAPERE - MATAKANA - MATAMATA - AUCKLAND - ROTORUA - CHRISTCHURCH - WANAKA - ARROWTOWN - QUEENSTOWN - MILFORD SOUND - AUCKLAND) (North Islands). (Minimum 2 passengers for the tour)
A epic scenic adventure through the North Island and ultimate outdoor utopia in nature, New Zealand, a dream-like landscape of sweeping mountains, glaciers, wide open space and stunning cities. Experience the beauty and the colorful world of the South Pacific on this 12 day tour and explore the best that New Zealand has to offer, it's fascinating culture, it's history, it's cities, it's mountains with impressive peaks and it's beautiful lakes of crystal clear waters. Undoubtedly, many options and adventures for singles, friends and couples alike!.
Australian Travel, our service provider has been operating in the international tourism sector since 1996. The passion and love for the Australian continent has led its founders to become a very professional and specialized tour operator in several of the most fascinating destinations of the World: Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands), Asia and Middle East. Over the years, his team has acquired extensive knowledge of these destinations, visiting each of these sites to ensure customers a top quality product, taking care of every detail and guaranteeing the services offered. Australian Travel has agreements with the best airlines and experienced suppliers in the region, guaranteeing competitive prices and an excellent service. Australian Travel stands out for its passion and professionalism, improving its services every day.
Overview of your trip:
This 12-day group tour is not only something special for active travelers, but also for those who want to discover New Zealand and especially the North Islands in a different way. Your guide will take you through the best charms of New Zealand.
A group journey between cities, national parks, waterfalls and landscapes to find and keep forever in your memory the most spectacular of New Zealand, known in the world for it's virgin nature. A tour to share in small groups with a local guide and designed for the most adventurous clients.
We recommend that customers book their international flights to the country of start and end of the program to guarantee their arrival at least one day before the tour's departure date. The Tour Operator and the Travel Agency do not assume any responsibility for possible breaches of the program and what this situation could generate due to possible delays in the arrival of customers on time for different reasons.
Tour Activity Level: This tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days and more leisure time. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected.
IMPORTAN NOTES:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Baggage allowance:
Connectivity:
Entry formalities: To enter New Zealand it is not necessary to be in possession of a visa for a maximum stay of 3 months, you only need to have a valid passport. We recommend having at least 6 months of remaining validity from the time of entry.
Driving in New Zealand: Traffic in New Zealand is on the left. An international driving license (Geneva Convention or Vienna equally accepted) or an official translation of our license is mandatory. To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old and have held a driving license for at least 12 months; it is also mandatory to have a traditional credit card registered to the driver of the vehicle with the numbers in relief (non electron). Seat belt use is mandatory for all passengers in the vehicle.
Climate: The climate of New Zealand is temperate and maritime, two are the main seasons: winter and southern summer. From mid-November to mid-April the summer is hot and humid with temperatures ranging from 25 to 33 degrees, moving along the coast the rains are more abundant. From mid-May to mid-September, temperatures range between 20 and 23 degrees, from mid-April to mid-May the climate is in a transitory season where temperatures begin to fall and rainfall decreases, the coldest months are July and August.
Time Zone: Standard Time: UTC / GMT + 12 hours. New Zealand has a time difference between 10 and 13 hours ahead of Europe's main capitals.
Currency: The national currency is the New Zealand Dollar.
Medicines: Medicines imported into New Zealand for personal use are subject to controls and must be declared upon arrival. We advise you to bring the recipe or a letter from the treating doctor in English to explain your pathology and the properties of the drug.
Hotel stay: Check-in takes place from 14.00 onwards, the Check-out of this must normally take place before 11.00. Please refer to the policy of each hotel booked in the event of different regulations. The definition of triple and quadruple room refers only to existing beds, such types do not exist with 3 or 4 beds except in exceptional cases.
Electricity: The electricity is 230 volts, the plugs for the current are different from those used in Europe and North America, therefore, it is advisable to have an international adapter.
Telephony: The international prefix of New Zealand is 0064, before departure ask your telephone operator if it is enabled for international roaming and what are the costs for any calls. As far as Wi-Fi is concerned, it is increasingly widespread, especially in hotels, restaurants and common areas.
Rules and Restrictions: The legislation imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture on the import and export of food products is very strict, it is advisable to check before leaving for information on the list of products that cannot be imported into the country. Inbound and outbound every traveler who owns more than 10,000 New Zealand dollars (or the equivalent in currency) will have to fill in the Border Cash Report as part of the procedures. For the complete list, visit www.customs.govt.nz
Clients will be received by their guide and transferred to their accommodation. Rest of the day off while the rest of the passengers that make up the group arrive, ideal to discover the first charms of this impressive capital city of New Zealand.
Amenity Hotel: Upon arrival at the Grand Millennium Auckland Hotel each guest will receive a voucher for NZD $ 50 that can be used during their stay at this hotel in any of the restaurants, bar, mini-bar or room service. (This voucher cannot be exchanged for cash or any unused portion).
Breakfast is included in the hotel. After breakfast early in the morning, they will meet their driver in the hotel lobby and will be transferred to Auckland's domestic airport. They will fly from Auckland to Kerikeri arriving at midday. Note: This flight is included in the cost of this tour.
You will enjoy several historical places in this area such as Kemp House, the oldest building in New Zealand, which was part of a missionary settlement established in 1819. Then we will take a walk through the coastal town near Paihia and enjoy a guided walk through the historic house of the Treaty of Waitangi. You will see the traditional Maori meeting house.
They will continue their journey with the guide with a walk through a mangrove forest to reach the Haruru Falls. In the afternoon they will go to the port where they will take a ferry to take a guided tour of the historic town of Russell. Dinner is included tonight at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 244.1 kms of flight approximately +23.4 kms by road.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. This morning they will board a cruise to the famous area of Cape Brett. During this cruise you can enjoy the spectacular islands that make this place so famous, ending in the famous Hole in the Rock (subject to sea conditions).
In the afternoon we will visit the caves of Kawiti, explore underground caves where they house thousands of luminous worms (glowworms). Next, we will go to the west coast and the port of Hokianga. Arrive at your hotel with time to rest. After an early dinner at your hotel, we will venture into the forest of Waipoua. We will meet our guide, a local Maori with whom we will enter the forest and will tell the legends and stories of the forest, its gods and spiritual inhabitants. You will be able to see the giant Kauri trees and hear the sounds of the nocturnal creatures.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 84.6 kms approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. This morning we return to Auckland. Along the way we will stop in Matakohe to visit the Kauri Museum and continue to the charming town of Matakana, where they will have time for lunch (lunch not included). Arrival in Auckland and transfer to your hotel in the afternoon. Free night available to customers to discover and enjoy the many night options of this impressive city of Auckland.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 274.8 kms approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. You will start the day with a visit to the West Coast, particularly in the Muriwai Regional Park, with it's main feature of it's black sand coast. This beach is very popular for surfing and where a colony of gannets also normally lives. These magnificent birds expand their wings to more than a meter in length. We will continue our visit to the Auckland Museum with it's interesting collection of Maori and Polynesian art and relics, then we will visit the Parnell neighborhood where we will take a walk through one of Auckland's oldest neighborhoods, then to Mission Bay. Then we will head back to the city center with a visit to the Auckland Viaduct, followed by a visit to the Sky Tower, the Auckland Tower 328 meters high. From there you can admire a unique view of the city and it's two bays: Waitemata and Manukau. Transfer to your accommodation. Free night available to enjoy the many cultural and tourist attractions of the city of Auckland.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Departure to a magical journey through Middle-earth to The Hobbit Region, where the fascinating trilogy of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" was filmed. We will begin the trip south of Auckland through the Bombay Hills, crossing the rich agricultural region of Waikato. We will pass through the historic city of Cambridge where his style adds an English atmosphere. We will arrive at Shire’s Rest where we will begin our tour of Hobbiton Movie Set. This place is located within one of the most spectacular places in the region, and is the only place in the world where you can experience a real movie set in the first person. They will witness 37 hobbit holes, the double arch bridge, the party tree and the visit to the Green Dragon Inn. In this magical place you can take a picture at the same door of Bilbo's house, from where you can see the whole set of the movie in the hills. After the tour in this set, we will go to the Hobbiton marquee to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch.
At the end of lunch we will go to Rotorua where they will be transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon we will visit Te Puia (formerly called Whakarewarewa), the Maori Thermal Reserve and Cultural Center at the National Institute of Arts and Crafts in New Zealand, where a prestigious woodcarving school operates. In this reserve you will see various deposits of silica and boiling mud and a tour of the geysers that are part of it will be made. They will then be received in the traditional way and will see a demonstration of Maori dances and songs. Later, you will enjoy the typical Maori cultural dinner.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 228.8 kms approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. We will visit the Waimangu thermal reserve in the morning, an extensive valley with abundant geothermal activity, where you can admire the forests and lakes of crystalline water that are close to the city, in particular the Blue and Green lakes. Upon completion, the transfer to the Rotorua airport will be made for the flight to Christchurch. Once in Christchurch, we will go to the Curators restaurant for lunch. After lunch we will tour the city and then we will move to your accommodation.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 885.8 kms approximately by plane.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. This morning we will visit Lake Tekapo, a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by mountains with crystal clear turquoise waters. Departure from Lake Tekapo, where we can see stunning views of Mount Cook, the highest peak in the country (3750m) and turquoise glacial lakes. The opportunity will be offered to make a panoramic flight (optional) over Mount Cook and the Fox and Franz glaciers located in the Southern Alps (activity subject to weather conditions). We will continue our journey through the MacKenzie Country area to reach our hotel in Wanaka
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 428.2 kms approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Free morning for walks around this spectacular lake and it's town full of cafes and craft shops. At noon departure from Wanaka to Queenstown, passing through the traditional mining town of Arrowtown, we will visit the “Bungy Bridge” (jump not included) where the famous “Bungee Jumping” originated. Transfer to your accommodation. Free night available to customers to discover the charms of this city on the South Island of New Zealand.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 67.2 kms approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Full day excursion to Milford Sound, traveling through the Fjords National Park. A boat trip will take you to the Tasman Sea, where you can appreciate how magnificent this fjord is, the Miter peak and the Bowen waterfalls. Lunch is included during the crossing. Return to Queenstown by bus, or you can return by plane or helicopter, flying over this park of high waterfalls, jungle, coasts, rivers and valleys until you reach the city (additional cost). This reservation will be made at destination because it is highly subject to weather conditions.
Note: Please note that the Milford Sound excursion is subject to weather conditions. In case of being canceled, the excursion to Doubtful Sound will be offered, paying an additional supplement directly to the Real Journeys company. Note: We have no blockage on the Doubtful Sound excursion, so it is subject to availability on the day of the trip.
Total kilometers to be traveled in the day: 574.8 kms round trip approximately.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Free day for optional activities. They have a pass included to get on the Skyline Queenstown cable car, so you can enjoy it at any time of the day. From the top of Bob’s Peak you can see spectacular panoramic views of the region.
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Transfer to the airport and end of our services.
End of the program.